By Kolawole Oluwatosin
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has begun enforcement actions against foreigners whose visas and residence permits have expired, following the end of a federal government amnesty program on September 30, 2025.
According to NIS Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, the enforcement, effective from October 1, 2025, targets holders of expired visas on arrival (VOA), single and multiple entry short or business visas, and expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence and Aliens Cards (CERPAC).
Akinlabi warned that any foreigner found violating Nigeria’s immigration laws would face strict sanctions, including overstay fines, deportation, and restrictions on future entry into the country. The penalties, he outlined, are structured as follows:
Foreigners who overstay in Nigeria for less than three months will face removal from the country, a fine of $15 for each day overstayed, or a two year entry ban.
Those who overstay between three months and one year will also be removed, fined $15 per day, or face a five year entry ban.
For overstays exceeding one year, the penalties are more severe, including removal from Nigeria, a ten year entry ban, or a permanent ban from re entering the country.
The NIS emphasized that the amnesty period, which allowed foreigners to regularize their status without penalties, ended at midnight on September 30. The agency also stressed that the move is part of its broader commitment to lawful migration, national security, and ensuring transparency and efficiency in immigration processes across Nigeria.